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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

Words on the sheet
468
Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: pop · rash · arm · dip · chair · mark · degree · patient

  1. I put the bag on or beside the ________________.
  2. My father caught me by the ________________.
  3. In my city, the temperature is one ________________ above zero.
  4. Michael Jackson and Prince changed the history of ________________ music.
  5. The ________________ was so hot, it burned my tongue.
  6. A university ________________ is the ticket to a successful career.
  7. She sat on the ________________ of the sofa.
  8. Don't do anything ________________.
  9. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  10. The nurse administered an injection to the ________________.
  11. We're almost out of ________________.
  12. They watched the sun ________________ below the horizon.
  13. The farmer was ________________ with the unruly horse.
  14. The hot cup left a ________________ on the table.
  15. The ________________ was transferred to the cardiology ward.
  16. To what ________________ are you interested in baseball?
  17. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  18. ________________ my words: he'll be late again.
  19. She got the top ________________ in the exam.
  20. James Baker serves as an Honorary Co-________________ for the World Justice Project.
  21. I like to ________________ a cookie in coffee.
  22. Professor Sir Peter Hirsch formerly held the ________________.
  23. I'd give my right ________________ to be ambidextrous.
  24. You don't need to ________________ round.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. chair — to sit on
  2. arm — part of the body
  3. degree — temperature
  4. pop — music
  5. dip — a sauce
  6. degree — from a university
  7. arm — a part of something
  8. rash — hasty
  9. rash — a series
  10. patient — a sick person
  11. pop — soda
  12. dip — to sink
  13. patient — calm and waiting
  14. mark — a trace
  15. patient — a sick person
  16. degree — an amount
  17. rash — on the skin
  18. mark — to pay attention
  19. mark — a grade
  20. chair — a leader
  21. dip — to dunk
  22. chair — a professorship
  23. arm — part of the body
  24. pop — to visit

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com